Gary Jones is a graduate of Chico State University and has been teaching science at New Plymouth High School since 1981. He also coached football, basketball, and varsity baseball at NPHS before retiring from coaching in 1996. His baseball team won a state championship in 1994. In his spare time, he enjoys being a play by play announcer for idahosports.com and for Treasure Valley Community College. His hobbies include golf, hunting, and backpacking. In 2003 he published a hiking guide entitled "Hiking Idaho's Seven Devils". It is available in many outdoor stores in Idaho including the Benchmark, REI, and many others for around $15. You can also order it from him or send him some comments through his email address: jonesgolfs@gmail.com. He and his wife, Penny, never had any children, but raise labrador retrievers instead!

As the spring season begins, we present the awards from the 5A state boys' basketball tournament.

2016 IDAHOSPORTS.COM 5A BOYS’ STATE BASKETBALL AWARDS

By Gary Jones and Glenn Jones

Here are our awards for the 5A Real Dairy Shootout, which had games at the Ford Idaho Center and Columbia High School.

5A State Champs:Highland Rams (20-6)65-55

The Rams had won four consecutive district titles until thisyear. The Madison Bobcats won league and district, and Highland entered state in 2016 as the second seed from Districts 5&6. After the dust settled, the Highland Rams had won their 5thstate title, and their first since Chris Frost guided them to the title in 1996.In 1970, Ron Kress coached theRams to their first title, and he repeated the feat in 1981.Chris Frost won his first in 1990, his second in 1996, and he waited 20 years for his third in 2016.

Conner Harding led the tourney with 57 points, and Mason Baker, the second leading scorer in the tourney with 53 pts, showed everyone how the point guard position should be played. Braydon West, Cameron Cook, and Hunter Eborn all had a fine tournament, as well.

The improbable meeting of these two arch rivals is what had the Ford Idaho Center a buzz after the two Friday evening games. Both eastern Idaho schools trailed for most of the game.They both won their games with just a few seconds left, and each game had the final score of 54-53. Zach Anderson’s tip is one of the most remarkable shots and endings to a game I’ve ever seen, and it made ESPN’s #1 play in their top ten count down.And Mason Baker’s silky smooth swish was clutch, something we’ve come to expect from him.

To put it simply, it seemed to be fate that these two long time rivals should meet for all the marbles. We feel very fortunate and honored to have had the opportunity of calling each of those thrilling shots, easily the most exciting in our career as broadcasters. The Ford Idaho Center was full for the 5A title game that night with an estimated crowd of over 10,000, the largest to have ever watched a basketball game there. When the best tourneys of all time are discussed, this one will definitely be in the discussion!

Runner-up: Madison Bobcats

3rd Place:Borah Lions

Consolation: Rocky Mountain Grizzlies

Sportsmanship: Madison Bobcats

Academic: Rocky Mountain Grizzlies3.694 GPA

TheIdahosports.com All State Tournament Team (5A Only)

One requirement we have- we will pick at least one player from each of the 8 teams at state for this all state team. Also, these picks are based on their play at the state tournament. Some player may have an average regular season and then light it up at state to win a spot on this team.

MVP: Mason Baker, Senior, Highland Rams:

His tournament numbers: 53 pts; 26/32 free throws (81%); 9 assists; 13 rebounds; 4 steals; 5/14 three pointers;1/1 three pointer for a state championship. You get the feeling watching Mason that he could turn it on and score whenever he wants.Instead, he only does it when his team needs him to do it. He runs the team like a great point guard should while awaiting the offense to deliver him a shooting opportunity.

He wins this award because of his clutch play. Obviously the game winner in the title game was awesome, but his second half in the opener against Mountain View helped get them to the second round.In that game, he was scoreless at the half and rallied for 17 second half points.

I’d like to add that Conner Harding could easily have won this award, as well, as he led the tourney with 57 points and played brilliantly in all three games. I hear that after a mission, he’s headed to BYU.Best of luck to you in your college career, Conner!.

First Team

Conner Harding, Senior, Highland Rams

Josh Crane, Senior, Madison Bobcats

DeAndre Jones, Senior, Borah Lions

Kolby Lee, Junior, Rocky Mountain Grizzlies

Trystan Bradley, Junior, Lewiston Bengals

Second team

Damen Thacker, Senior, Mountain View Mavericks

Taylor Wallick, Senior, Centennial Patriots

Jaxon Edelmayer, Junior, Madison Bobcats

Rylan Bergersen, Senior, Borah Lions

Kobe Terashima, Junior, Rocky Mountain Grizzlies

Third Team

Justin Saunders, Junior, Capital Eagles

Talon Pinckney, Senior, Centennial Patriots

Braedon Wilson, Sophomore, Lewiston Bengals

Braydon West, Highland Rams

Cameron Howard, Junior, Mountain View Mavericks

Honorable Mention

Nathan Webb, Junior, Madison Bobcats

Max Reitman, Junior, Borah Lions

Jacob Erickson, Junior, Rocky Mountain Grizzlies

Cameron Daron, Senior, Capital Eagles

Riley Way, Junior, Lewiston Bengals

6th Man

Ellis Magnuson, Freshman, Borah Lions

TheIdahosports.com “Coolest Names” of the Tournament

You can find out how many people in the U.S. have your name by clicking here.There are lots of people named Gary Jones, but these cool names in thetourney are unique and that’s what we like about them.We have come up with a new category besides“Coolest Names”.We have now added“Awesome Alliterations”

“Coolest”

First Team

Con Ball, Junior, Madison Bobcats

Bridger Truman, Junior, Snake River Panthers

Remington Chapman, Sophomore, Firth Cougars

Ridge Farr, Junior, Rockland Bulldogs

Slade Dill, Sophomore, Dietrich Blue Devils

Second Team

Reagan Good, Senior, Ambrose Archers

Theron Hawks, Senior, Rocky Mountain Grizzlies

Gunnar Condie, Senior, Capital Eagles

Miles Foote, Senior, Middleton Vikings

Holden Ray, Senior, Lakeland Hawks

Honorable Mention

Ace Christiansen, Junior, Burley Bobcats

Zane Paradise, Junior, Council Lumberjacks

Landon May, Senior, Clark County Bobcats

Reese Yancey, Junior, South Freemont Cougars

Kolmon Farnsworth, Sophomore, Highland Rams

“AwesomeAlliterations”

First Team

Max Mathews, Junior, Mountain View Mavericks

Couper Carson, Senior, Middleton Vikings

Tegon Tonge, Senior, Buhl Indians

Kobe Korrell, Sophomore, Clark County Bobcats

Riley Rigby, Senior, Raft River Trojans

Second Team

Logan Lloyd, Senior, Grace Grizzliies

Keith Kipp, Jr., Sophomore, Lapwai Wildcats

Trey Trappett, Senior, Melba Mustangs

Cameron Cook, Junior, Highland Rams

Dallin Dilworth, Senior, Carey Panthers

Honorable Mention

Kaden Kelsey, Freshman, Wendell Trojans

Brenan Barrett, Sophomore, Emmett Huskies

Hunter Hill, South Freemont Cougars

Calvin Condie, Junior, Parma Panthers

Cody Couch, Senior, Buhl Indians

Idahosports.comPep Club of the State Tournament:

If the Madison Bobcats make it to state, it’s a sure bet they are going to be tough to beat for this award. If any pep club wants to beat then they have to everything the Bobcat crew does:dress entirely in school colors, cheer in unison endlessly throughout the game, and display enough energy to power all of New York City for a week.Congrads, Madison, you guys do it right…especially the way you ALL wear school colors at a Bobcat game.As a teacher at New Plymouth High, that’s the one thing I told my kids to do when they came to a Pilgrim game.Be proud of those school colors and display them with pride!

TheIdahosports.com Mascots of the Tournament

We saw three teams dress up a mascot: Capital, Madison, and Mountain View.The big bull from Mountain View takes home the award this year.The awesome looking bull was also present at the girls’ state tourney, as well.Good job!!

TheIdahsoports.com pep Band of the Tournament

These bands that come to state are all so talented these days. The one that stood out to us thi syear was the Borah Pep Band.They had the largest band at state with over 100 students in the band, and they are outstanding to listen to.Way to go Lions!!

Coolest Thing We SawOn Super Saturday

We have all seen plenty of men who coach a girls team in high school. How many of us see a female coach with a boys’ team?Because of a gender bias, many people can’t envision this.Well, as Bob Dylan sang, the times they are a changin’.Rebecca Miles is the head coach for the boys of Lapwai, and she guided them to the state title game where they lost to an outstanding Ambrose team.In the 3A’s,Monique Jensen is the assistant coach for Scot Garrick and the Parma Panthers, who won their first state title in school history.I taught with Scot at New Plymouth for many years, and I was thrilled to see my good friend get a state ring.Way to go, Scot!!